Psalm 140-143

English Standard Version

⁴ Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    preserve me from ^(H)violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
⁵ The arrogant have ^(I)hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread ^(J)a net;^[a]
    beside the way they have set ^(K)snares for me. Selah

^6 (L)I say to the Lord, You are my God;
    give ear to ^(M)the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
⁷ O Lord, my Lord, ^(N)the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
^8 (O)Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their^[b] evil plot, or ^(P)they will be exalted! Selah

⁹ As for the head of those who surround me,
    let ^(Q)the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰ Let ^(R)burning coals fall upon them!
    Let them be cast into fire,
    into miry pits, no more to rise!
¹¹ Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
    let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

¹² I know that the Lord will ^(S)maintain the cause of the afflicted,
    and ^(T)will execute justice for the needy.
¹³ Surely ^(U)the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
    ^(V)the upright shall dwell in your presence.

^3 (AA)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    ^(AB)keep watch over the door of my lips!
^4 (AC)Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who ^(AD)work iniquity,
    and ^(AE)let me not eat of their delicacies!

^5 (AF)Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet ^(AG)my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
⁶ When their judges are ^(AH)thrown over the cliff,^[c]
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
⁷ As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones ^(AI)be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.^[d]

⁸ But ^(AJ)my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    ^(AK)in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!^[e]
9 Keep me from ^(AL)the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
¹⁰ Let the wicked ^(AM)fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

³ When my spirit ^(AR)faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have ^(AS)hidden a trap for me.
^4 (AT)Look to the ^(AU)right and see:
    ^(AV)there is none who takes notice of me;
^(AW)no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my ^(AX)refuge,
    my ^(AY)portion in ^(AZ)the land of the living.”
^6 (BA)Attend to my cry,
    for ^(BB)I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    ^(BC)for they are too strong for me!
^7 (BD)Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will ^(BE)deal bountifully with me.

³ For the enemy has pursued my soul;
    ^(BK)he has crushed my life to the ground;
    ^(BL)he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
⁴ Therefore my spirit ^(BM)faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

^5 (BN)I remember the days of old;
    ^(BO)I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
^6 (BP)I stretch out my hands to you;
    ^(BQ)my soul thirsts for you like ^(BR)a parched land. Selah

^7 (BS)Answer me quickly, O Lord!
    ^(BT)My spirit fails!
^(BU)Hide not your face from me,
    ^(BV)lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
^8 (BW)Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
    for in you I ^(BX)trust.
^(BY)Make me know the way I should go,
    ^(BZ)for to you I lift up my soul.

^9 (CA)Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
    I have fled to you for refuge.^[g]
10 (CB)Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God!
^(CC)Let your good Spirit ^(CD)lead me
    on ^(CE)level ground!

^11 (CF)For your name's sake, O Lord, ^(CG)preserve my life!
    In your righteousness ^(CH)bring my soul out of trouble!
¹² And in your steadfast love you will ^(CI)cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
    for I am your ^(CJ)servant.